Between Generations
by Esum Amla
Summary: Hyugacentric. A glimpse into the hearts and minds of the Hyuga Clan's most notable members. Rated for language and adult themes. Reviews are welcome!
1. Chained

**Disclaimer: Naruto is the property of Masashi Kishimoto.**

**I. Chained**

Despite being comparatively gregarious when placed in the context of other members of his family, Hyuga Hizashi was still a mystery in that no one really knew much about his private life. For instance, he was clearly interested in women but has never, as far as anyone could tell, actively pursued anyone. This was very disappointing for many of the eligible bachelorettes in the village because with his family background and personal success as a shinobi, Hizashi was considered quite the catch. There was much speculation as to the cause of this unfortunate circumstance but ultimately no one, not even his closest friends really knew why Hizashi appeared set in his single lifestyle.

Maitao Gai may be the closest to ever finding out the reasons behind Hizashi's choices and it wasn't because he was looking for them. It was just that he was the only one who was willing to stay with Hizashi who, after one god awful fight with a member of the Main Family's council, decided to drink himself to death.

At least, that is what it looked like to Gai.

And because he considered Hizashi a friend, who was oddly enough there for him when his family started to fall apart, he couldn't just leave the man alone when he was clearly in turmoil.

Thus, Gai learned that Hizashi, in everything but name, was a slave. The Hyuga's Byakugan was so valuable that the Hidden Leaf Village would allow the clan to act autonomously to village law so they can brand members of the clan like cattle and dictate the course of their lives. The Main Family expected absolute obedience and encouraged severe punishment to maintain the status quo. The village council would look the other way and in exchange they would have the precious and most sought after Byakugan on their side during times of conflict.

And so at the cruelest moment in his life when he was being particularly obstinate, a Main House member will tell Hizashi that his best and only contribution to the world would be when he married and produced viable offspring that would inherit his strong Byakugan but hopefully not his temper.

A stud.

"Why would I bring a child into a life like that," Hizashi questioned bitterly, his face flushed with alcohol. "This is the only thing they cannot control. God help me, I will die before I give them what they want."

The alcohol would make him forget the conversation and Gai's kindness that night but years later, while his new baby sleeps, Hizashi will cry brokenly, overwhelmed by both the love for his son and an odd sense of self-loathing.

~ TBC ~


	2. Pretty: Part I

A/N: The work of a jounin is not always pretty. Rated for sexual themes, drug use and yaoi. Proceed with caution.

**Pretty: Part I **

Hyuga Neji was never one who gave much thought on his looks. If pressed to select one feature he was particularly proud of he would say it was his eyes for no other reason than the Byakugan being a formidable weapon in the field. But apparently, not everyone sees things the way Neji does and he realizes, with some humor but mainly annoyance that he is woefully naive when it comes to understanding this way of the world.

The Hokage explained the mission and he listened patiently, making note of the objective, target and the thinly veiled frustration in the Hokage's voice. She was running out of options, he surmised, and this was her last chance.

"I do not like issuing mission orders like this," she said gruffly, "but they are effective and the Byakugan would prove a valuable asset in this case." She studied him hard over her folded hands and he simply waited. "Typically, I expect a ninja to accept a mission without question but I always give the women a choice in this matter so I'm doing the same for you."

He found this odd because of who they were but he said nothing, waiting until he was properly addressed.

"You can say no, Neji."

But he wouldn't and he strongly suspected she knew that. Despite giving them the choice, he doubts there was ever a ninja of the Hidden Leaf that took the Hokage up on her offer. To do so would be a disgrace; far more disgraceful than what was being asked of them.

"I accept the mission, Lady Hokage."

0

They sent him to see Shiranui Genma to prep for the mission. Their first meeting was at the jounin's apartment because he was in the middle of completing reports and he didn't want to break his stride.

"Make yourself at home," he said casually as he let the young jounin inside. "I just need to find the report. Give me one second."

Out of habit, Neji observed his surroundings with detached tactical logic and found the place to be surprisingly personable for what he knew of the older man. Everything in the room was an invitation to touch.

"What can I say? I like my creature comforts," Genma explained simply upon catching the Hyuga's critical expression. He was holding a folder in his hand that was thick with papers and the ever present senbon hung crooked in his mouth like a burning, neglected cigarette. "What do you think?"

Neji frowned because what he thought about another person's home was irrelevant; unless it was related to a mission. "The hidden compartment behind the bar is a little obvious. It would be the first place a thief would think to look, second maybe to the safe behind that picture over there."

Genma shrugged his shoulders and gave a small laugh. "I suppose that's what I get for letting a Hyuga in my home. I was referring more to the décor but that doesn't matter now does it? Forget that I asked."

This made Neji frown. He felt as though he'd just failed an important test.

"But I can see why the Hokage wants the Byakugan in this case. You don't miss much, do you?" He tossed the folder on the table and plopped down in a chair tiredly. "But it'll take more than a pair of all-seeing eyes to complete a mission like this." Genma closed his eyes and chewed on the senbon thoughtfully.

"My understanding is the feudal lord in question is quite prominent in the drug smuggling trade," Neji said, becoming atypically impatient standing in the middle of the living area. "And that is why we're targeting him."

Genma nodded but his eyes remained close. "He's the lynch pin in the whole system. With him out of the picture, the entire enterprise would topple right along with him. At the very least, it'll be years before they become the problem they are now."

He opened his eyes and studied Neji intently, gauging his reaction. "He's extremely cautious. It's difficult to get close to him but over the years we've managed to gather enough intel to know this is probably our best bet and the Hokage wants this guy disposed of as quickly as possible."

Neji could understand why. It must get tiresome reading reports of teenagers overdosing on the latest street drug. Capturing the street dealers is hardly enough. They are replaced within a month's time. They'll have to go to the source if they wanted to see any significant change.

"You're certainly his type," Genma continued casually. "He likes a little androgyny in his bed partners."

The corners of Neji's mouth turned downwards slightly but otherwise he said nothing. He shifted his weight slightly with discomfort.

Genma looked at him squarely, leaning forward so his forearms rested on his knees. "You've ever had sex, Neji?"

This time he couldn't help his reaction. He blushed visibly and scowled with embarrassment. "Is that relevant?" he growled. 'How dare he…one does not…_ask_ _such questions!'_

"It depends on the individual, honestly," Genma answered with a shrug, leaning back into his chair. "There are some that don't want their first time to be mission related. Others don't care or it's a nonissue altogether." The jounin raised his hands up in a dismissive manner. "Listen, I don't care who or what you do in your free time. I've been working on this case for quite some time now and it wouldn't do us any good if the guy I send in gets cold feet and gets himself killed. When I say we have one shot, this is it. I need to know you can do this."

"I can do this," Neji said defensively, not accustomed to having his competency questioned after all his field experience as a jounin. "I merely…" he looked away briefly, "I am not used to talking about…such things so openly."

Genma gave a cynical laugh as he reached for the report. "Well, get used to it," he said tossing the report to Neji who caught it deftly. "To put it bluntly, you are the most beautiful man I've ever seen and that's the strongest weapon we have against this guy."

Neji twisted his mouth with unease and tucked the report under his arm.

Genma nodded towards the report as he stood up. "That's everything we know about the drug lord so far. Study it and report back to me in the morning. We'll continue the briefing then. We have a few weeks time before the mission. That'll give us plenty of time to figure out your cover."

Neji nodded and started walking towards the door.

"And I'll let you get away with not answering my question this time," Genma added with a knowing look and Neji couldn't help but blush again as he stopped short. "But I'm going to expect you to be completely honest with me starting tomorrow. We can't afford any fuck ups."

"Understood," Neji said simply, walking quickly out the door.

~ TBC ~


	3. Just Desserts: Part I

A/N: I like Hanabi because she has a way of bringing out the silliness in everyone around her. After all, we can't take ourselves too seriously. Enjoy!

**Just Desserts: Part I**

The sparring match did not end well for Hinata. Slowly, she pulled herself up off the dojo floor, mindful of the aches and pains. Hanabi was standing victoriously behind her, breathing heavily but otherwise unfazed.

"Very good, Hanabi," Hinata said graciously but bowed her head. "Your skills improve every day."

"Yours as well," Hanabi replied. "It gets a little harder each time to beat you. At least Father wasn't here to see you, right?"

Hinata flinched at the mention of their father but said nothing. She smiled weakly at Hanabi. "Thank you for the sparring match. Next week?"

Hanabi nodded eagerly.

"Til next time then."

Hanabi waited until Hinata left the dojo before she quickly limped her way to the Main House kitchen. She wasn't kidding when she said Hinata's skills were improving. Her sister's last attack deadened her right leg. She wondered briefly, as she hobbled her way to the kitchen, what permanent nerve damage felt like before dismissing the worry. It would all be worth it. She had to remember that.

She made her way to the cupboard where Hinata kept her cookbooks and pulled out the book devoted to baked goods. "Oooohhh yeah," she said in anticipation as she placed the bookmark on a recipe for praline cupcakes.

She quickly put the book back exactly where she found it before limping out of the kitchen before anyone could see her.

0

The following week found Hanabi in the kitchen enjoying one of Hinata's baked-from-scratch praline cupcakes. Her eyes closed with pleasure as she took a bite. "Oh, man, she really outdid herself this time."

"There you are!"

Startled, Hanabi turned to see Neji glaring at her from the doorway. "What?" she asked with as much innocence a mouth full of delicious cupcake could convey.

"What are you doing to Lady Hinata?" Neji demanded, walking over to the table. "She's acting depressed over you beating her all the time. I've been picking up the pieces for days!"

"We're sparring, that's all," Hanabi replied simply with a shrug of her shoulders.

Neji narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "You've never expressed interest in sparring with Lady Hinata before. You always complained that she wasn't enough of a challenge."

"Well," the girl averted her gaze guiltily, "now she is. Now go away!" she said evasively, waving her hand in a dismissive gesture, "You're ruining my cupcake time!" and she brought a cupcake temptingly to her lips.

But Neji wouldn't relent. "Spill it!"

Hanabi huffed in annoyance and set aside her treat, realizing her cousin was not going to leave her alone until she offered an explanation. "Alright, if you must know, when Hinata gets a little…down… her food becomes simply amazing!"

Neji stared at her blankly. "What?"

"Everyone knows that Hinata is a phenom in the kitchen but when she's feeling bad about something, her baking quality just goes up a notch or three, if you can believe it. I think she uses baking as some form of coping mechanism or something. So…I just spar with her, beat her and remind her how disappointed Father would be if he saw her abysmal performance…just to motivate her, you know. Few days later: cupcakes, fresh-baked bread, pastries, you name it!"

"So let me get this straight," Neji began, feeling a tension headache coming on, "you're methodically destroying your sister's self-esteem so she can…bake…for you?"

Hanabi frowned thoughtfully, "Well, not just for me. The rest of the household has enjoyed the fruits of my labor. I mean, look at all of these cupcakes…"

Neji sighed in resignation and looked off to the side. "I knew it. You're the devil."

Hanabi crossed her arms defensively. "I don't expect you to understand my genius here, Neji, considering you don't indulge in anything fun."

"How long do you think you can keep this up?" Neji reasoned. "Contrary to popular belief, Hinata's martial art is improving. What are you going to do when she beats you?"

Hanabi chuckled. "Oh, please. I love my sister dearly but that will never happen."

Neji rolled his eyes.

Hanabi made a devious smile. "Neji, I don't think you've tried Hinata's cupcakes." She pushed the plate towards him gently.

Neji crossed his arms and turned away resolutely. "You are a pathetic creature. I will not be an ally in this foolishness! Do you honestly think such an obvious ploy would work on me?"

"No, not really. But it does leave more for me," and she selected another cupcake from the batch. "Just don't ruin this for me by telling Hinata. I don't want her to lose her touch."

Neji shook his head but then smirked, facing the over-confident Hyuga. "I won't say a word because I am looking forward to the day when Lady Hinata kicks your ass."

Hanabi rolled her eyes unimpressed. She took a bite out of the cupcake and sighed. "Oh, wow…you might as well look forward to the pumpkin spice cake because that's what she's going to bake next after her scheduled beat down."

"We'll see," Neji said before stalking out of the kitchen.

Hanabi shook her head, "What a tight-wad," she muttered to herself before taking another bite. "My god, what on earth is she putting in these things!"

~ TBC ~


	4. Aviculturist

**Aviculturist**

At the age of twelve, Hyuga Hiashi became the youngest leader in the history of the Hyuga Clan. The sudden death of his father left him emotionally and mentally ill-prepared for the position but he had promise. All the elders recognized the gifted qualities and potential of the young child. He only lacked experience.

But most importantly, he was still only a child and it was difficult to hold his attention on adult matters for very long. For one, he missed his brother terribly and was prone to melancholy as a result. Combine this with his sharp intellect and the stubborn pride of the Hyugas and one would have better success moving mountains than getting the young, lonely leader to go along with anything he didn't feel like doing.

At the recommendation of the master advisor, the council assigned junior advisor Hyuga Hachirou as the child's tutor. He wasn't much of a shinobi, in fact his Byakugan was considered low grade, but he was smart and remarkably patient. If there was anyone who could deal with the unusual circumstances of a child leader, according to the master advisor's recommendation, it would be Hachirou.

From Hachirou's standpoint, he had no idea where this confidence in his abilities came from. He did not have children of his own nor had he ever expressed interest in working with them. He strongly suspected that the true reason behind his assignment was that nobody else wanted to deal with the child.

It was sad, really, he thought as he watched Hiashi once again neglect his school work to stare out the window. The child certainly could not be blamed for his difficult circumstances and yet the elders seemed exasperated with his slow adjustment whenever Hachirou gave his weekly progress reports. He had no doubt that Hiashi had picked up on this, explaining the increasing difficulty in motivating the child to stay on task. Something had to change.

"Hiashi," Hachirou began as he closed his book, "let's take a walk outside."

Startled, Hiashi shook himself from his musings and looked at him with a guilty expression. "I haven't finished my schoolwork."

"You can finish it later," the tutor replied reassuringly. "There is no point in staying here if you're going to be distracted. The walk will clear your mind."

Hiashi blushed and bowed his head with a fretful look. "Are you going to tell the council?" he asked in a whisper.

Hachirou sighed sympathetically. This child truly felt alone and without friends. He held out his hand, "Tell them what, my lord?"

He could tell that Hiashi was still dubious but interested in the turn of events. He looked at the hand and then Hachirou's face with a curious expression.

The tutor decided to press his advantage. "Perhaps we can pay Hizashi a visit. I hear he has recently returned from a mission. I'm sure he has lots of stories to share with you."

The mention of his brother removed any lingering hesitation. Hiashi smiled brightly as he accepted the offered hand. "He likes the training fields by the river. Can we go there first?"

"Of course, my lord," Hachirou replied with an encouraging nod.

As they made their way outside, Hiashi racing ahead in his excitement, Hachirou hoped he was doing the right thing. It was a spur of the moment decision but one that made sense to him the more he thought about the task set before him:

One must first allow a child to be a child.

~ TBC ~


	5. Produce

**Produce**

There was a bar that Hizashi liked to visit when ever he was passing through the area. The sake was good, the food was great but most importantly it had the perfect seat in a dark secluded corner where he could sit alone and clear his head. He found the alcohol especially helpful with that.

As he was pouring himself another glass, his Byakugan detected a man walking towards his table. His clothes looked worn but sturdy and his hardened expression reminded Hizashi of someone who spent his livelihood outdoors. A farmer, perhaps? Hizashi did not change his actions to show that he saw the man but he watched him for a little while longer. There was something about him that was strangely familiar. The man was carrying something like a basket that he carefully maneuvered around the tables as he made his way towards him but at this point Hizashi had already begun to lose interest. Whoever he was, he was sure he could handle him, even in his current state.

"Are you Hyuga Hizashi?"

"That would be me," he answered casually, directing a disinterested gaze at the man standing in front of him while taking a sip of the sake. "Who's asking?"

The man nodded and he took a breath as though he was steeling his nerves. "I'm Terauchi Joji. I'm Musuko's husband."

The name struck him like a bolt of lightning and the good buzz Hizashi had worked on all afternoon vaporized immediately.

Joji's voice hardened as he found more nerves of steel. "Musuko's dead," he said bluntly, not at all concerned with softening the blow for Hizashi. "I'm sorry, I mean, fuck you! Musuko's dead."

Hizashi's eyes were wide with shock as he looked at the widow who was clearly pissed at him but showing amazing amount of control. The Hyuga put his drink down with a shaking hand. "I-I'm so sorry..."

"May I sit down?" Joji interrupted, not at all interested in Hizashi's apology.

Thrown by the sudden request, Hizashi could only nod mutely as he gestured towards the seat in front of him. He ran his hands over his face in a failed attempt to sober up and looked at the man sitting across from him with an admittedly terrified look. He never thought this would come back around.

"I won't keep you long. I just have a few questions," Joji said with a matter-of-fact tone.

"Terauchi..."

"How did you meet?"

"Does that matter now?"

"Yes, you coward, it does. After you destroyed my family, the least you could do is answer my questions."

Hizashi nodded, looking shame-faced and very ill. "We...I was in the village for a mission...bandits."

"So that was you who saved the village while the men were away."

Hizashi nodded. "My team...and I."

"Did it start then?"

"No, ah...later."

"Did you know she was married?"

The Hyuga looked at the man briefly before he averted his gaze with a nod.

Joji sighed harshly as he sat back in his chair, staring hard at the man in front of him as though he found him lacking.

"It wasn't my intent for things to go that far," Hizashi said, feeling compelled to explain himself. "It just happened."

"Nothing just happens," Joji shot back.

"I swear-"

"I don't believe you." Joji glared at him like he was contemplating hitting him right there in the middle of the bar. "Why did you come back to the village? Your mission was over. The bandits were gone yet you came back. Why?"

"I didn't come back for her...I..." The true reason sounded absolutely awful and the shinobi opted to just keep that part to himself.

"I don't like being lied to."

"I'm not lying."

"You owe me the truth after all you've do-"

"I'm NOT lying." For Hizashi, the guilt was slowly receding away to anger as he grew more defensive. "She approached me. I didn't ask to get between your failure of a marriage."

Joji looked away and his face creased with pain. Hizashi ignored the guilt but it was a losing battle.

The farmer continued. "Did she say she wanted to leave me?"

Hizashi sighed. "Yes." He rubbed his face again. He was starting to feel nauseous. "She said you two didn't talk anymore. You were always working, something like that." He couldn't say for sure because he barely remembered that night or the other nights that followed. He was always drunk and quite frankly, he didn't particularly care about the troubles of a lonely farmer's wife. They had struck him as silly. _She_ struck him as silly but she looked good and was more than willing…

"Were you going to run away with her?"

"No!" Hizashi said vehemently. "I wasn't going to do that. I told her I couldn't..."

"Yes, because you're a man of principle, right?" Joji said sarcastically.

Hizashi said nothing but he did reach for his drink to take a long sip. He guessed he deserved that.

"Did she say that she loved you?"

Hizashi did remember that conversation because that was when he decided to stop seeing her. "Yes."

"Do you love her?"

_Love her?_ "No," he answered quietly. _He hardly remembered her._

Joji nodded, appearing on the verge of tears. He crossed his arms over his chest in an agitated manner as he took in everything Hizashi told him. The Hyuga sighed. He may not be able to relate to this particular circumstance but he understood what Joji was feeling at a visceral level: betrayal sucks, especially when it comes from someone you love more than life itself.

"Fucking shinobi," the farmer choked out in a harsh whisper, wiping tears from his face awkwardly. "You're like locusts. You just come in and destroy...I knew Musuko was dissatisfied with being a farmer's wife but I was a good husband. I provided for her. I loved her! What did you do? You just used her, you lousy drunk."

Hizashi had nothing to say to that so he didn't try. There were only so many times one can say sorry. He raised his glass to his lips but Joji snatched it away with a snarl.

"Give me that!" The farmer looked at the clear liquid briefly before he drank it down with one shot. He closed his eyes and coughed. "Shit, that's strong." After a moment, he looked at Hizashi with sudden realization. "You didn't ask how Musuko died."

The Hyuga was almost afraid to ask but he played along. "How?"

Joji reached down and grabbed the basket that Hizashi had forgotten about up to this point. His defenses went up reflexively as the farmer placed the basket on the table.

"Childbirth."

Hizashi looked sharply at the other man who removed the blanket from the top of the basket to reveal, not produce as Hizashi naïvely assumed, but a small, sleeping baby.

"Congratulations, it's a boy," Joji said drily.

"What the _fuck_ is this!?"

"Your son," the farmer got up to leave."Your problem."

"Wait!" Hizashi reached out and grabbed the farmer's arm with a steel grip. "You can't be serious. I can't take him."

"I can't stand to look at him," Joji confessed quietly, looking away, "I see Musuko in him."

"He's not my kid," Hizashi said desperately, wanting to believe it. "He's not mine!"

Joji looked at him with hateful eyes as he snatched his arm out of Hizashi's grip. "Don't tell me he's not your kid. He has your eyes, you son of a bitch!" He started to walk off but stopped short with a frustrated sigh. He bowed his head and placed his hands on his hips as though he was having some internal argument with his conscience. "One of the women in my village...nursed him before I brought him here," he said with his back turned to the shinobi. "He'll probably want to eat soon."

He turned to look at Hizashi who was still staring at the baby resting in the basket. His face was pale and he trembled slightly with tension. The look of terror on the Hyuga's face deeply satisfied the farmer.

"I don't ever want to see you or your son again, you hear me?" he said with a tight whisper. "You owe me at least that."

Joji turned and never looked back as he left the bar, satisfied that his life wasn't the only one turned upside down.

~ TBC ~


	6. Pretty: Part II

**Pretty: Part II**

That evening as he prepared for bed, Neji studied his reflection in the bathroom mirror in an attempt to see what everyone else saw. The first thing that drew his attention was the curse mark scrawled across his forehead. Its elegant appearance belied its more cold purpose and for Neji it was the only feature other than his eyes that was worthy of note.

But then he looked at the other features on his face. His nose was rather stubby, he thought, and his skin was ghastly pale. He burned easily if he didn't take the proper precautions. And the hair that framed his face was dry and in need of a good trim. He often pulled it back with his head band and tie because he lacked the imagination and the interest to do anything else with it. However, his skin was clear of blemishes, his lips full and his bone structure soft and prominent, giving him an oddly feminine look.

Neji frowned deeply at the reflection. Did he really look like…a girl to everyone? Genma had called him androgynous and Neji could hardly imagine a scenario where that would be considered a compliment; his current circumstances aside. Perhaps it was his hair. Maybe he should cut it after the mission. He was reluctant to do so in the past because of his father. Hizashi had wanted his son to keep the more traditional look of the Hyugas and it was the only thing that Neji could clearly recall of his father asking of him, other than living up to his responsibilities as a protector of the Main House. But looking at pictures of his father with his strong jaw line and hard features, Hizashi was probably never mistaken for a girl.

Hesitantly, Neji's hands reached up to pull the hair back away from his face. He studied his reflection more intently and noted that with his hair pulled back his overall appearance was even softer—delicate.

With a huff he dropped his hands, letting the hair fall back into place as he resolutely turned away from the mirror. "Ridiculous," he muttered to himself. He was wasting time. He still had to go through the report before morning.

0

Imai Yuu is 42 years of age, 5 feet, 7 inches in height and 146 pounds in weight. When he's not making drug deals or cutting up anyone who crosses him, he enjoys Chinese opera, fine dining and knife collecting. He strongly dislikes rude behavior and abhors ninjas.

Neji studied the picture of his target carefully. Based on what Tsunade and Genma said of him, Neji expected the drug lord to look as cruel and ugly as his actions and trade portrayed him to be, but the pictures depicted a man that was affluent, athletic in build and good-natured. Looking at the picture, one would not think the same individual would be capable of cutting out the tongues of snitches and leaving behind the gutted remains of his competitors for their children to find but Neji had long since learned that monsters come in all shapes and sizes.

He went through all the pictures using his skill at reading micro expressions to assess the emotion and circumstances, searching for weaknesses. As far as Neji was concerned, everyone wore their emotions on their sleeve. No matter how much they tried to hide it, there were always tells and Neji's Byakugan could sort them all out.

Leaving the restaurant: _Anxious_

Arriving at the opera: _Happy_

Leaving a meeting with dealers: _Pissed_

Imai was better than most when it came to covering his emotions and to an untrained eye he looks like an emotionless void but Neji could see them easily. He might as well be holding up a sign.

He flipped to the next picture and stopped. It was a close up shot of the lord arriving home in a carriage. The emotion was sadness. Neji made a note to follow up and learn more about the circumstances surrounding that picture. He suspected that this was the weakness he was looking for.

The man's eyes gave it away; the faraway gaze as though he was remembering something from the past and it struck an intimate cord within Neji.

His father had worn that look often towards the end of his life.

_Regret_.

Neji promptly slammed the file closed not liking where that train of thought was taking him.

~ TBC ~


	7. Glass

**Glass**

Many see her as the castaway of the Hyuga Clan. For those who know her story, it is a tragic one. Her father all but disowned her, her cousin-her supposed protector-tried to kill her and the Council frets over the future of the clan, scouring the bylaws for any loophole to get them out of the mess of an unfit heir. And while many will recognize it is unfair to compare her to the clan's prodigy, her ninjutsu could only pass for competent.

Because the overall consensus within the clan and the village is that she is too nice, too kind and sweet to bear the burden of clan politics. She is trying, some would say, but she cannot possibly meet these unrealistic expectations. Her nature is like glass and she should be protected from the brutality of clan politics, not thrust into its fray.

And so the elders ignore her when they discuss political maneuvers or the economic climate, thinking she is more interested in her garden or staying hidden.

And the villagers would speak candidly with her with warm familiarity and not with the distant, cold politeness afforded to more prominent members of her family. She was more like them anyway, especially after the way that heartless father of her's treated her.

She was not a threat, everyone thought, and that was exactly what Hyuga Hinata wanted them to think.

* * *

It was a game. How much can she hear, how many secrets can she glean before they realize she's in the room. It was surprisingly easy. It helped that she continued to blush easily at the slightest provocation and when caught off guard-which was quite frequent in the early stages of the game-she would stammer helplessly. It took the edge off of any potentially tense situation when they suddenly take notice of her and are obligated to bow to her in respect. They hated it, she could easily tell, and she would use that to her advantage, pretending to leave the room in a fit of discomfort before they can ask her how long she was there.

'_Weak_,' they would think.

That was fine, she thought, surprised at her own level of comfort because what she was doing was very dangerous. It was best if they continued to think that way for as long as possible.

* * *

And so it was not long before she developed a perverse, almost shameful thrill in the deception.

She wasn't clumsy by any stretch of the imagination but she found a well-timed drop of papers or equipment was a good distraction for those who were more hostile and mean-spirited. It gave them something to laugh at or turn their nose up in contempt. In other cases, playing up her shy nature got her better results from those who felt sorry for her and found her fumbling questions endearing but otherwise harmless.

It was terrifying how easy it was to manipulate the people around her but it was also exciting; to set aside empathy for jaded cynicism for only a moment.

It was harmless, she reasoned when her conscience started to make a fuss. She could stop whenever she wanted to.

It was just becoming increasingly hard to deny that she didn't want to stop.

* * *

Her personality overshadowed the fact that she was remarkably intelligent. Her tutors often compared her to her father, Hyuga Hiashi, who scored off the charts in assessment tests but who conditioned himself to suppress most outward displays of emotion after early childhood experiences made it vital that he do so.

Thus, when commenting on her father, people would recall his calm, aloof manner and his sharp, calculating mind. Nothing seemed to rattle him or catch him by surprise. He accepted things as though they were always part of his careful planning and that, among other things, was what made him a brilliant leader.

So he was not surprised-at least, not outwardly when Hinata's tutors eagerly showed him her latest test results. Not only did she score off the charts, in some categories, she scored higher than he did: mathematics and analytical thinking to be exact.

He allowed himself a brief show of paternal pride-a quick quirk of the lips-before he filed the information away for later use. He also made a point to watch his daughter more closely and thus became aware of her game.

"How very interesting," he murmured to himself thoughtfully, reassessing the parameters of his own game. "Surely, we can put this to good use."

~ TBC ~


	8. Isunova Pi

**A/N: I apologize for the long delays. I'm actually sitting on a number of short stories but they're all at different levels of completeness. I must confess inspiration is hard to find so stay with me. I haven't abandoned this series. Reviews are welcome!**

**Isunova Pi**

The rank of jounin allows one access to files and reports denied to lower ranks. It was this perk that kept Neji motivated when the jounin trials were particularly difficult. And when he had finally earned the hard won rank, he immediately requested every single available field report and file concerning his father.

It took a while before he was able to devote the necessary time to the task of reading them because with the rank of jounin one's mission load triples. The first few months of the grueling pace left him exhausted and his time off was spent catching up on sleep. But he eventually adjusted and was soon taking advantage of learning more about his father.

Hyuga Hizashi was a fascinating man.

His mission success rate was off the charts and he worked at an extraordinary pace. There was one year—the year of Neji's birth—where his mission load dropped significantly but the following years saw a gradual increase in missions accepted. Reports from teammates described a man that was coldly efficient yet loyal to the team, methodical, selectively patient but overall with a short fuse—deadly.

But there were still files that were closed to him; S-rank missions that only the Hokage and members of the village council had exclusive access to. From what he could gather, Hizashi took on quite a number of off-the-record missions.

Was his father…ANBU?

Hyugas, as a rule, were forbidden from joining the ANBU ranks, the Byakugan being too much of an asset to risk capture, but his father was reputed for being defiant, especially when it came to the decisions of the clan. Hizashi would join ANBU—unofficially, of course—just to spite them.

But his father was also known for not always thinking things through, acting on instinct rather than tactical logic. His mission success rate clearly indicated that he was rarely steered wrong with this approach but-Neji's very existence was proof enough that things did not always go as planned.

He was always kind to him, yet even at a young age, Neji could sense a weighted burden about his father. Hizashi, despite all his other talents, was never good at hiding his emotions. Hinata favored his father more in this way than he did. Hizashi was so transparent that his own child could read him easily and Neji saw the guilt, anxiety and anger that surrounded his father daily.

Of course he didn't understand what they meant at the time and naively thought his father felt that way because he had disappointed him in some way.

So Neji did all he could to be the perfect son.

And it hurt all the more when his father left him behind.

~ TBC ~


	9. Sunset

**A/N: Hinata is hard to write but I like where her character development is heading. I just have to be patient**.** Feedback is welcome.**

**Sunset**

Hinata was not a fool. More than anyone she understood that unrequited love was no fun. And while it bolstered her during the war, she was now beginning to see it as a hindrance.

The war was over but there was more work to be done. Alliances forged in the fires of conflict needed maintenance and care. Hinata found her place in diplomacy; her noble ancestry and war experience proving to be an advantage the Hokage couldn't pass up.

And it took up all of her time! She didn't see her friends as often and she felt guilty for the neglect Hanabi and Neji were most likely feeling. If there was a relationship that was not suffering under her new demands, it was with her father. How often did she go to him for advice, to proofread her treatises and offer criticism? Her father was brilliant and she found herself enjoying their intellectual sparring sessions; surprising considering their rocky start.

But her new responsibilities left little room for childhood loves and as a diplomat, her task is to nurture promising, fruitful relationships and let go of the ones that are not. So it was inevitable that she would began to face the harsh reality that there were relationships in her personal life she prioritized more than a one-sided infatuation.

She will always love Naruto, she thinks as she outlines her thoughts for another treatise. It is an admission that leaves her resigned and humbled, like one finally acknowledging an addiction after being in denial for a long time.

And she will, of course, continue to watch over him though it will be purely for diplomatic purposes. After all, his name has come up numerous times in meetings, given he is one of two Kyuubi left. The first and only time she blushed at the mention of his name, she managed to blame it eloquently on the heat of the day so that no one knew better.

Some habits are slow to break.

~ TBC ~


	10. Pretty: Part III

**A/N: I'm not really on any set schedule in terms of updating. I just write and post whenever I feel inspired. My overall aim is to make sure I keep the characters in character and that means being brutally honest with how I believe each character will respond in a situation. That doesn't always jive with what I want personally it makes some chapters harder to write. I'm enjoying this process so far so I don't foresee stopping anytime soon. Thank you for your reviews and support!**

**Pretty: Part III**

"So what do you think," Genma asked the next day. They were at the man's apartment again sitting around the dining room table.

"He's very cautious, as you say," Neji replied succinctly, "but not without vulnerabilities." He showed the senior jounin the picture. "What do we know of his past lovers?

"He has been with both men and women but mostly men. The younger the better."

"Does he always have a lover?"

"No, he'll abstain for an indiscriminate amount of time and then randomly take a lover."

"Nothing is ever random," Neji corrected. "People act in predictable behavioral patterns. One merely has to identify the cues."

"Is that so," Genma replied, studying the young man busily sorting through the report. "So what are Imani's cues?"

"I don't know yet. I'll need time to go through the transcripts."

Genma nodded thoughtfully. "What is your pattern of behavior, Neji?"

Neji looked up at him with some apprehension.

"When do you take a lover?"

The young jounin blushed a scarlet red. "I-I…I don't."

"You're a virgin then."

Neji scowled and started turning the pages of the report. "Yes."

Genma arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms as he sat back in his chair. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"No! I fully understand what is being asked of me!"

"Are you sure?" Genma shot back, "because while your level of assessment is amazing, you have shown visible discomfort whenever the subject of sex comes up. How are you going to get close to and seduce someone like Imani when you're wound up so tight!? I need a whore not an analyst for this mission!"

The bluntness unnerved Neji, despite his efforts to not make it obvious. His aristocratic upbringing—even Branch members need to know how to conduct themselves in proper society—and his natural reticence was proving to be a disadvantage. "I just need time," he said quietly.

"You have 21 days," Genma said shortly, clearly doubtful the Hyuga can pull it off.

0

When it comes to reading micro expressions, Neji made it his business to be better than most. He had found the skill to be a valuable asset on missions and over the years had come to recognize when someone was lying, afraid or angry amongst other things.

However, the first time he saw lust he honestly didn't know what to make of it because he wasn't prepared for it to be directed at him. He was sixteen and accompanying Tenten to a local weapon's shop while returning from a mission. She just _had_ to go into the store and his lectures on punctuality and overall protests went unheeded. The shopkeeper was very knowledgeable and looked as though he had seen his share of war. And when he wasn't showing Tenten what he had in stock he was looking at Neji.

Such a direct gaze would have made anyone uncomfortable and the way it carefully roamed over his body did not help matters. To this day he wonders with dread if Tenten even noticed, so open and obvious was the man's intent.

"Is there anything I can help you with, young man?" the shopkeeper asked when he had finally cornered Neji in the knife section. The question was asked with just enough innuendo to leave one guessing.

"I am fine, thank you," he managed to say politely. But it was becoming unbearable; bordering on rude and because he was never one to draw attention to himself, he opted to wait for Tenten outside, reminding her shortly that they were on a schedule. He could still feel the man's eyes on his back even as he left the store and he absolutely refused to think on what those micro expressions meant.

0

Three years later, he's able to process it logically and accept that it is an emotion like any other that could be manipulated if the situation called for it.

He just never thought he would be the one to do it.

Rumor had it, Yamanaka Ino had taken on many missions similar to this one but Neji simply hated that woman and couldn't imagine talking with her about something so…personal. Hanuro Sakura and Tenten may or may not have taken on special missions but he didn't want to ask. They would think he was a pervert or worse, figure out the reason why he was inquiring. He was more than confident that by Lord Hiashi's influence, Hinata would never have to face this task and he could never bring himself to tell her some of the ideas he had in mind to make the mission work.

After all, he still wanted her respect when this whole thing was over.

~ TBC ~


	11. Just Desserts: Part II

**A/N: I just love this kid. Hanabi is the best! Reviews welcome!**

**Just Desserts: Part II**

The next sparring match ended with Hanabi the victor again but it was not an easy win for her. Hinata had apparently been working on her take downs and despite winning, Hanabi crawled away from that sparring match feeling like she was trampled by a herd of angry elephants.

But it didn't stop her from going to the kitchen to mark her selection in Hinata's recipe book.

Neji was in the kitchen as well, presumably eating his lunch but Hanabi knew better. Ever since she revealed her plan a few weeks ago, Neji started taking his meals in the kitchen, conveniently around times Hinata and Hanabi scheduled their sparring matches.

She walked past him stubbornly and reached slowly for the recipe book, biting her lip to suppress her whimper of pain.

"Are you alright? You're walking like you need a medic."

"That would just make your day, wouldn't it?" she said flippantly as she leafed slowly through the pages of the worn book. "No, everything has been going according to plan so don't you worry."

Neji shook his head. "Did it ever occur to you that you might completely ruin Hinata's confidence? I thought you wanted her to be the next clan leader."

Hanabi smiled as she found her preferred recipe. "Cherry and Chocolate Chunk Cookies, perfect! I see this as a win-win situation, Neji, and if you had a little more imagination, you would see it too."

Neji pushed his empty plate away and propped his hand up against his head tiredly. "Enlighten me, oh wise-one."

"Hinata gets extra training and I get extra sweets!"

"And the slow needling away at her self-confidence?"

Hanabi made a 'tsking' sound and wagged her finger at Neji. "I thought you of all people would have more faith in my sister. Hinata's a tough girl. If she can withstand Father's psychological warfare after all this time, then she can handle this."

"So you hope," Neji said flatly.

Hanabi narrowed her eyes. "Obviously, you did not try last week's pumpkin spice cake."

"Apparently, you're under the impression that I'm as morally corrupt as you."

"Oh, hush," Hanabi dismissed wearily, "you're such a drama queen. Besides, Hinata has not turned down an opportunity to spar yet so she clearly has more fire than you even give her credit for."

Neji had nothing to say to that but he still frowned skeptically.

"Now if you would excuse me," Hanabi said, easing her way gingerly towards the door, "I'm going to go lay down for an hour or so."

"I just want to say for the record I think this is a bad idea," Neji called out to the retreating girl.

"Thanks," Hanabi called back from the hallway, "but I am not going to consider the opinions of anyone who has not tried the pumpkin spice cake."

Neji scowled fiercely. "I'm not going to do it!"

"Well, then your opinions are null and vooooiiiid!" his cousin returned in a sing-song voice.

Neji muttered under his breath, staring balefully at the dessert.

0

But he couldn't stay away. As much as he did NOT want to be involved in Hanabi's craziness, he found himself drawn nonetheless to the kitchen once a week to observe.

He noted that Hinata's baking had a profound effect on everyone. Branch servants would prepare plates of delicious desserts at the request of Main House members and because Hinata baked in such high volume, there was plenty left over for the Branch members to enjoy.

Neji still did not sample the decadent desserts. He upheld the strictest of diets for the most practical reason of the energy demands of his Byakugan limiting his opportunities to over-indulge but mainly because Hanabi wanted him to. He was not going to allow the conniving delinquent to have her way.

But the food was just as compelling as Hanabi's growing list of injuries at the hands of her _not much of a challenge_ sister.

Apple and Rhubarb Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream: Hanabi's victory cost her a black eye, bruises and a strained quadricep.

Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting: A sound concussion. They had to hold off the matches for a few weeks though Hanabi claimed it was due to increased school work and not the fact that Hinata _literally_ rattled her brain.

Green Tea and White Chocolate Opera Cake: Collateral damage. Hinata blasted Hanabi through the dojo wall with one of her attacks and though she was disoriented-and mildly terrified-Hanabi managed to win the match on a technicality.

"Are you sure she's not letting you win," Neji finally asked one day while Hanabi flipped through the recipe book.

"What makes you say that?"

"Oh, I don't know, the fact that she appears to be slowly _killing_ you with every match."

Hanabi was a little worse for wear this day. She was using solely her left hand to go through the book because she had lost the feeling in her right arm. Hinata's pressure point attacks were improving. "She just got lucky today, that's all. I still won."

"Hmm," Neji replied noncommittally, resting his chin on a propped hand. "Perhaps it is you who is now underestimating Lady Hinata."

"Don't even," Hanabi returned nonplussed. "Her skills are improving, yes, but she's still sensitive about certain things. I just happen to know which buttons to press. I mean that Maple Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake last week was _amazing_!"

"You're getting fat, you know."

"Ooohh, very nice, Neji," Hanabi replied unimpressed as she turned a page, "That would have made the mean girls in my class proud but it's not going to work on me. I'm incapable of getting fat."

"What does that even mean?"

"I have a very high metabolism," Hanabi said primly, turning up her nose. "The medic said so himself."

Neji shook his head. "I'm going to need you to stop being stupid for a minute or two. You're giving me a migraine."

Hanabi narrowed her eyes. "No, I believe that would be the stick shoved up—"

"_And_," Neji cut in quickly, because he could not promise he would restrain himself if he allowed the brat to finish her thought, "you should stop this nonsense with Hinata. She would be hurt if she found out you were manipulating her this way."

Hanabi frowned and for a moment Neji thought he had finally gotten past the gluttony to the place where Hanabi should, in theory, have a heart.

But then she looked down and found the recipe she was looking for.

"This is it," she said with rapt wonder. "The recipes of all recipes."

"What?" Neji asked with dread.

She turned the book towards him so he could read the title.

"Chocolate Fudge with Pistachios?"

Hanabi nodded solemnly. "She only makes fudge when she's feeling really, really bad."

"How could you possibly make her feel worse!?" Neji demanded.

Hanabi tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I think I might invite Father to the next sparring match."

The look on Neji's face said it all and she held up her good hand in a placating manner. "Now, Neji, I know what you're thinking."

"That you're a sick, twisted sociopath who needs to be locked up!"

Hanabi took a step back with a hurt expression. "Ok, maybe I don't know what you're thinking. Gosh, you're mean."

"This has gone far enough," Neji said as he stood up abruptly, "I'm telling Lady Hinata."

"Wait, before you do that," Hanabi jumped quickly in front of Neji's path, "I think you should be aware of what you're giving up here."

"It doesn't matter," Neji returned, easily side stepping the young girl.

"Aw, come on!" the young girl protested, hobbling quickly behind her retreating cousin. "Would you…just…oh alright, alright!" She clung to Neji desperately to prevent his leaving.

Neji stopped and looked at her suspiciously.

"You can come instead."

Neji scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Don't even get me involved in this crap."

"You're already involved," Hanabi countered quickly, pointing her finger with sudden realization. "Sitting here all pretty in the kitchen, eating your delicious snacks while Hinata…the woman you swore on your life to protect…is getting the crap beaten out of her in the next room. I mean seriously, what kind of protector are you?"

Neji narrowed his eyes menacingly. "That's low."

"It's either you or Father."

Neji looked as though he was considering Hanabi's point for a moment but then decided to call her bluff. "Nice try," he said as he turned to leave.

"Geez, you are…exhausting! How about a wager then," the girl said quickly, realizing she had to appeal to her cousin's competitive side.

Neji turned back around, seizing the opportunity as he crossed his arms. "If Hinata wins, you stop this ridiculous game."

"Fine! But if I win, you stop giving me hell about my sparring matches and," Hanabi smiled mischievously, "you have to sample the next dessert with me."

The young man scowled before turning once again to leave. "Fine," he muttered as he walked out the kitchen.

"I hope you like chocolate!" Hanabi called happily to the retreating form.

"I hope you like bed rest!" her cousin countered, not missing a beat or slowing down.

Hanabi laughed as she turned back to the recipe book, making sure to place the bookmark next to the recipe of her choice.

~ TBC ~


	12. Selisona Pi

**A/N: I apologize for the long delays. I'm wrapping up things with school and will graduate this spring! Here's to hoping my updates will be a little faster. Reviews are welcome!**

**Selisona Pi**

It is Hiashi's personal rule to only use the curse seal under very specific conditions: to protect loved ones, to protect the clan and to protect the village. It is because of these conditions that he has used the curse seal less than ten times in the span of his rule, though the rumors would suggest otherwise. And as such, he knows each incident intimately; from the circumstances that led to him raising his hand to how long it took the wearer to recover. And by these conditions, Hiashi never wavers. There is no emotional attachment to the action, only the business of maintaining order.

He wished other members of the Main House practiced more restraint but there's only so much he could do about that. He heard of one Main House member activating a seal because the wearer did not prepare his breakfast to his exact liking; a waste of manpower, in his opinion—it takes days to recover from a seal activation—and beyond petty. And while Hiashi has made his opinion very clear on the manner in which a curse seal should be employed, he cannot, by clan law, directly interfere with a Main House member's blood right to use the seal as they see fit-to the inclusion of meal preparation.

It was a great philosophical debate and the Main House was equally divided on the matter. Are we masters of beasts or men? How can one claim to be superior if they must resort to such barbaric practices? However, Hiashi was not so zealous as to think the debate was a simple matter of to use or not use the curse seal. There are those within the clan who would do the Hyuga harm and to forget the history behind the curse seal is to commit a foolish and grave mistake.

Hiashi respected the seal, understood its roots and the power it gave him and thus, he only used it sparingly.

However, there was a time when he used it in anger and that was the closest he ever came to killing with it.

~0~

He understood his brother's frustration. Neji was talented and showed extraordinary promise. But he was a Branch and the laws were very clear. The older brother did everything in his power to ease his brother's burden; an often times difficult task given Hizashi's risky and cavalier behavior. It may have been asking too much to expect gratitude for his efforts but loyalty was another matter entirely.

So to feel Hizashi's killing intent turn towards his precious Hinata was the worst kind of betrayal and Hiashi did not hesitate to activate his brother's seal.

Perhaps that was the last straw. His brother was not the easiest person to live with and Hiashi was weary of the verbal attacks, the never-ending animosity regardless of what he did or said. He was tired of apologizing for being the eldest, for their father's death, for the Hyuga's history, for all the things that were beyond his control. He was done.

'_Selfish coward!_' the clan leader seethed mentally. His hand shook with suppressed rage as he watched his brother writhe on the floor in agony. He activated the seal for 30 seconds; the longest he'd ever activated a seal.

It was the children that stopped him. The look of terror on Neji's face and fearful whimpers from Hinata grounded him and he quickly deactivated the seal before it could cause permanent damage.

"Take your father home," he ordered his nephew brusquely, ushering his daughter out of the studio.

Later, when he was calmer and his daughter was safely asleep in her room he would wait for the remorse and regret to set in as they always did in matters concerning his brother.

They never did.

After all, he adhered to his core principles regarding the use of the seal. His conscience was clear.

- TBC -


End file.
